Costs Blow Out On Perth Stadium

Costs for the A$1.27 billion ($960 million) 60,000-capacity sports and entertainment Perth Stadium in Burswood have blown out, West Australia’s new government has revealed.  

Mark / Wikimedia Commons – Perth Skyline

This could delay its scheduled opening in early 2018. The cost of building an essential footbridge over the Swan River has jumped from A$54 million (40.8 million) to A$70 million ($52.9 million).

It will accommodate 14,000 people to and from the venue on events days.

According to 9 News, the delay is due to fabrication issues in Malaysia by an Italian-Australian joint venture, “with significant delays to steel shipment dates a result of a legal stoush between overseas companies involved in the fabrication.”

New Premier Mark McGowan is fuming as 10 Australian companies had bid for the job. “Having this bridge built in Malaysia not only cost local jobs for West Australians, but it resulted in delay after delay,” he said.

The government is negotiating with four Australian companies to build part of the bridge at no extra cost. However, the previous government claimed late last year that since construction began in 2014, 77 contracts worth $456 million ($346.4 million) have been awarded to WA businesses, 20 to Australia-wide companies worth $78.9 million ($59.6 million) and two overseas firms worth $8.6 million ($6.5 million). Between 800 and 1200 Australian construction workers are on site. From the beginning, the WA government has gone for a world-class venue.

This includes two giant, state-of-the-art video screens. A lightweight fabric roof covering 85 percent of seats will at night present a spectacular glowing halo effect.

One-thousand TV sets will be positioned through the interior. The lighting system designed and supplied by Philips Lighting with 15,000 LED lights is set to provide a visual spectacular colours of competing sporting teams. Forty percent of the seats were in place by January. The adjoining licensed venue The Camfield will, with a 2,500 capacity, be one of the state’s biggest. Its outdoor courtyard will hold up to 1,500 people and have a stage for concerts.